Course Syllabus
HIST 3379-01 HIS 379.01W RECENT AMERICA, 1945 TO PRESENT
CRN 42470 - 3 Credit Hours, Summer I 2011
Monday through Friday, 10 AM, Evans Bldg. Room 351
Last Revised: March 14, 2011
Dr. Tracy Steele
Office: AB4 461
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM Also by appointment
Office Phone: (936)294-1480 - Please leave a message on voice mail if I am not available.
Department Secretary's Office: (936)294-1475
E-MAIL ADDRESS: his_tls@shsu.edu
Students should activate their student e-mail accounts. Students will be notified via their student e-mail accounts of any last minute changes or announcements. Students must use their student e-mail address for security purposes, especially when enquiring regarding grades.
Web Address: http://www.shsu.edu/~his_tls/
Text
Major Problems In American History Since 1945 (Major Problems in American History) (Paperback)
by Robert Griffith, Paula Baker, Thomas Paterson
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin; 3 edition (October 20, 2006)
ISBN-10: 0618550062
ISBN-13: 978-0618550067
Study Tips
I want all students to succeed in reaching their goals in this class. In order to prepare for each class day, students should read the assigned chapter and then re-read the chapter after class in order to reinforce the material learned. Students should review their course notes each day. Before each exam, students should review all notes and assigned chapters.
Students who are having difficulty reading the text (which should be read in a different manner than recreational reading or a math text) should either talk to Dr. Steele or contact the Reading Center at Farrington Building, Suite 109, phone number: 294-3114.
VALUABLE TIP: If you are interested in cultivating study skills that will help with this and all your other courses, the SAM Center has all kinds of resources available as well as a capable staff ready to help you! Click on: <http://www.shsu.edu/~sam_www/>
The Sam Center’s phone number is 294-4444. In order to help you to reach your goal for this course, any student who fails the first test will automatically be referred to the Sam Center.
Students are encouraged to discuss problems with Dr. Steele!
Examinations (30% of final grade)
There will be four essay tests over the lectures and the text. Each test is worth 7.5% of the student’s final grade. Each test will be administered online. It will open up on the day of the test at 8 AM and will be available until the next day at 8 AM. I will not drop an examination or Student Reading Discussion Guide (SRDG) grade. There are no make up tests. The tests will comprise one short essay question (200 words) and/or short answers.
Students will be given two hours on Blackboard for each examination, but, given the low percentage of the overall grade, they will be fairly short. If a student does a good job on the SRDG, he or should be able to use it for the examination.
There will be four essay examinations during the semester. Students will be required to bring their own Blue books (exam books) for the tests.
I will not drop an examination grade or a Student Reading Discussion Guide (SRDG) grade.
Student Reading Discussion Guides (SRDG) (70% of final grade)
Students must bring this assignment completed and typed to class and be on time! Assignments are due at the start of class each day. Students should bring two copies - one to turn in and one for your use during the discussion. Students must be present and participate in the class discussion to receive full credit. There will be 14 discussion guide assignments worth 5 points each. Together they comprise 70% of the student’s final grade. Each assignment is worth 5% of the student’s grade.
Students must download the template for these assignments from “Assignments” in Blackboard and type in the information. Hand written assignments will not be accepted.
Students may earn 5 points if the assignment is completed and the student demonstrates his or her mastery of the chapter content in the class discussion. Students will receive 3 points if the guide is incomplete (at least two-thirds done), but the students contributes to the class discussion. Students that complete half or less of the assignment even if they participate in the class discussion will receive 1 point. A student who attends class but does not turn in the assignment (even if he or she contributes to the discussion) will receive no points.
The purpose of this assignment is to guide students through the academic articles and primary documents in the text, and to facilitate class discussions, and to prepare students for the essay examinations.
SRDG (14 assignments worth 5 points each): 70%
Test #1: 7.5%
Test #2: 7.5%
Test #3: 7.5%
Test #5: 7.5%
Total: 100%
Grading
Grades will be posted at Blackboard as soon as possible after each test.
A: 90-100
B: 80-89.5
C: 70-79.5
D: 60-69.5
F: 59.5 and below
Important Dates from the Academic Calendar
June 1, WEDNESDAY: * First class day. * Late Registration. Process class schedule changes. Refer to the Schedule of Classes for details and deadlines.
June 2, THURSDAY: Last day to register and to process schedule changes.
June 3, FRIDAY: Classes Meet.
June 6, MONDAY: * Fourth Class Day. * Last day to drop without a "Q" and receive 100% refund. * Degree applications to be filed in Registrar's Office by students graduating in August 2011.
June 10, FRIDAY: Classes Meet.
June 17, FRIDAY: * Classes Meet. * Half-session courses end. * Last day to drop courses online (not only online courses) without a grade of "F" by 5:00 pm. After today, "Q" drops must be processed in the Registrar's Office, Estill Bldg. Rm. 331. Professor approval required
June 24, FRIDAY: * Classes Meet. * Last day to complete a public defense of the thesis/dissertation.
June 29, WEDNESDAY: * Last Class Day. * Last day to resign and drop courses (SEE NOTES BELOW).
June 30, THURSDAY: * Final Examinations.
July 1, FRIDAY: * 2:00 pm. Deadline for filing grades with the Registrar's Office. * Last day to submit complete, defended and signed thesis/dissertation to the appropriate academic dean's office. First Summer Session Ends
RESIGNATION NOTE: Students may resign with a "W" grade from the 13th class day through the last class day, but prior to any final exams being taken or course completion.
DROP NOTE: Courses may be dropped without a grade of "F" before taking any final exams. To process a "Q" drop after the online drop closes, students must come to the Registrar's Office, Estill Building Rm. 331 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00p.m. No schedule changes may be made after the deadline specified in the Academic Calendar.
Course Description
HIS 379 Recent America, 1945 to the Present. This course will examine United States history from the end of World War II to the present and will include discussions of the Cold War; the civil rights and environmental movements; the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the war on global terrorism; the public policy debates surrounding the role of the federal government in the modern economy; and the evolution of American popular culture.
This is primarily a lecture and discussion course. Students must be present for discussions and participate. Dr. Steele encourages students to engage and ask questions at any time. Essay exam questions will come from class lecture and the text.
This course is recommended as a basic world history course for all liberal arts majors and minors because it provides an overview of major trends in world history since 1500.
Although students probably have already taken the surveys HIS 163 and HIS 164, it is no required since there are no prerequisites required for this course.
“W” Course Statement
This is a “W” course, which means that at least 50 percent of your course grade will derive from writing activities designed to help you master course objectives. Writing in this course is one of the tools your instructor will use to help you learn course material. Some writing activities will require you to draft and revise your work, with or without instructor feedback. Others may not receive a grade but are designed to assist your in critical reflection of the course material. You should approach writing in this course as a tool to use as part of your learning as well as a tool your instructor will use to assess your level of learning.
Course Goal & Objectives
- Students will gain a factual knowledge of American history since 1945 including important terms, dates, historical figures, and historical maps. .
- Students will learn how to find and use available resources for learning material not covered in lectures.
- Students will develop a skills for writing history.
Course Outline
June 1, Wednesday: Introduction
June 2, Thursday: Chapter 1. The Origins of Postwar America
July 3, Friday: Chapter 2. The Origins of the Cold War
June 6, Monday, Continue Chapter 2
June 7, Tuesday: Chapter 3. A Consumer's Republic: The 1950s and the Emergence of a New Economy of Mass Consumption
July 8, Wednesday: Chapter 4. John F. Kennedy, the Cuban Revolution, and the Cold War
June 9, Thursday: Continue Chapter 4
June 10, Friday: Test 1 Online on Blackboard
June 13, Monday: Chapter 5. The African-American Struggle for Equality
June 14, Tuesday: Chapter 6. The Great Society and the Politics of Liberal Reform
June 15, Wednesday: Chapter 7. The New Radicalism: Politics and Culture in the 1960s
June 16, Thursday: Chapter 8. From the Feminine Mystique to "Second Wave" Feminism
June 17, Friday: Test 2 Online on Blackboard
June 20, Monday: Chapter 9. Vietnam and the Crisis of American Empire
June 21, Tuesday: Continue Chapter 9
June 22, Wednesday: Chapter 10. Ronald Reagan and the Transformation of America
June 23, Thursday: Chapter 11. The Promises and Perils of a New Economy
June 24, Friday: Test 3 Online on Blackboard
June 27, Monday: Chapter 12. E Pluribus Unum: Race and Ethnicity in a Changing World
June 28, Tuesday: Chapter 13. The Politics and Political Culture in "Postmodern" America
June 29, Wednesday: Chapter 14. New World Order
June 30, Thursday: Test 4 Online on Blackboard
Attendance
It is the responsibility of each student to attend class, take notes and participate in class discussions. Attendance will be taken at each class. Students who read, text message, sleep, or engage in other activities that are not germane the course will not receive attendance credit for that day. A student who engages in disruptive behavior which includes text messaging, talking, or sleeping may be asked to leave the class and, if this behavior continues, will not be allowed to return and will fail the course. Students who engage in disruptive behavior will be reported to the Dean of Students. Students do not have the right to interfere with another student’s educational experience. Remember: you do not have a right to attend university; university is a privilege.
Students who leave immediately after their contribution to the discussion from the SRDG will not receive credit for the assignment. The SRDG’s cannot be made up not can the examinations.
Academic Dishonesty
Based on the Academic Policy Statement 810213 and the Faculty Handbook:
All students are expected to engage in all academic pursuits in a manner that is above reproach. Students are expected to maintain complete honesty and integrity in the academic experiences both in and out of the classroom. Any student found guilty of dishonesty in any phase of academic work will be subject to disciplinary action. The University and its official representatives may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a student accused of any form of academic dishonesty including, but not limited to, cheating on an examination or other academic work which is to be submitted, plagiarism, collusion and the abuse of resource materials.
Cheating will not be tolerated in this course. Students who are caught cheating on an examination or SRDG will receive an F for that assignment and will not be allowed to make it up. If a student is caught cheating a second time, the student will receive an automatic F for the course. Students caught cheating on any assignment will be reported to the Dean of Students. Please see the following web address from the student guidelines at http://www.shsu.edu/students/guide/dean/codeofconduct.html
Classroom Rules of Conduct
Students will refrain from behavior in the classroom that intentionally or unintentionally disrupts the learning process and, thus, impedes the mission of the university. Cellular telephones and pagers must be turned off before class begins. Students are prohibited from eating in class, using tobacco products, making offensive remarks, reading newspapers, sleeping, talking at inappropriate times, text messaging, wearing inappropriate clothing, or engaging in any other form of distraction. Inappropriate behavior in the classroom shall result in a directive to leave class and will not receive credit for attendance that day. Students who are especially disruptive also will be reported to the Dean of Students for disciplinary action in accordance with university policy.
Section 5.2.22 defines classroom disturbances and can be found in the Code of Student Conduct and Discipline at the following link:
https://www.shsu.edu/students/guide/dean/codeofconduct.html.
USE OF TELEPHONES AND TEXT MESSAGERS IN ACADEMIC CLASSROOMS AND FACILITIES (Approved by Provost and President in November 2010; effective Spring Semester 2011)
Telephones and similar devices have become increasingly a part of everyday life. In the academic classroom, however, during class these devices can be a serious distraction and during tests they can be a serious problem. The technology is constantly changing and evolving. So, the present policy does not specify particular devices or device types. Rather, the policy applies to any device that performs the function of a telephone or text messager.
1.0 Each course syllabus must contain a policy statement as to the disposition of telephones and text messagers (1) in the classroom, (2) during testing periods, and (3) for emergency considerations.
2.0 The use by students of electronic devices that perform the function of a telephone or text messager during class-time may be prohibited if deemed disruptive by the instructor to the conduct of the class. Arrangements for handling potential emergency situations may be granted at the discretion of the instructor. Failure to comply with the instructor’s policy could result in expulsion from the classroom or with multiple offenses, failure of the course.
3.0 Any use of a telephone or text messager or any device that performs these functions during a test period is prohibited. These devices should not be present during a test or should be stored securely in such a way that they cannot be seen or used by the student. Even the visible presence of such a device during the test period will result in a zero for that test. Use of these devices during a test is considered de facto evidence of cheating and could result in a charge of academic dishonesty (see student code of conduct http://www.shsu.edu/students/guide/StudentGuidelines2010-2012.pdf#page=29).
Visitors in the Classroom
Unannounced visitors to class must present a current, official SHSU identification card to be permitted into the classroom. They must not represent a disruption to the class by their attendance. If the visitor is not a registered student, it is at the instructor's discretion whether or not the visitor will be allowed to remain in the classroom.
This policy is not intended to discourage the occasional visiting of classes by responsible persons. Obviously, however, the visiting of a particular class should be occasional and not regular, and it should in no way constitute interference with registered members of the class or the educational process.
Americans with Disabilities Act
It is the policy of Sam Houston State University that individuals otherwise qualified shall not be excluded, solely by reason of their disability, from participation in any academic program of the university. Further, they shall not be denied the benefits of these programs nor shall they be subjected to discrimination. Students with disabilities that might affect their academic performance are expected to visit with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities located in the Counseling Center. They should then make arrangements with their individual instructors so that appropriate strategies can be considered and helpful procedures can be developed to ensure that participation and achievement opportunities are not impaired.
SHSU adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. If a student has a disability that may affect adversely his/her work in this class, then the student is encouraged to register with the SHSU Counseling Center and to talk with the instructor about how best to deal with the situation. All disclosures of disabilities will be kept strictly confidential. NOTE: no accommodation can be made until the student registers with the Counseling Center.
Religious Holidays
Section 51.911(b) of the Texas Education Code requires that an institution of higher education excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. A student whose absence is excused under this subsection may not be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment from which the student is excused within a reasonable time after the absence.
"Religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Section 11.20, Tax Code.
An institution of higher education shall excuse a student from attending classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose. A student whose absence is excused under this subsection may not be penalized for that absence and shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment from which the student is excused within a reasonable time after the absence. A student who plans to miss a class or required activity to observe a religious holy day should inform the professor in writing prior to planned absence.
Instructor Evaluations
Students may be asked to complete a course/instructor evaluation form toward the end of the semester.